


Why Do You Love Her?

by Resoan



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-06-02 08:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19437790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Resoan/pseuds/Resoan
Summary: A slight reworking of Hades and Kassandra's interactions in the Fate of Atlantis DLC. First chapter starts at the beginning of the episode.





	1. Why Do You Love Her?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone seems to love Persephone so much, Kassandra can't help but ask the first person so taken by her that he dragged her down into the Underworld. 
> 
> (This chapter is basically the first cutscene with Hades expanded a bit).

“So tell me something.” The words had escaped Kassandra's lips before she'd been able to stop them, though she at least kept her own surprise from widening her eyes. A good thing, too, considering the look Hades leveled in her direction at what he no doubt considered an impudent request. 

“You are already in my debt, Keeper,” he reminded her, head tilting slightly as the corners of his lips twisted, though never quite tugged into a smile. “Many would chafe at even that much, but you would dig yourself deeper?” His arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed her, his smile no longer hidden as something akin to dark amusement settled in his vermilion eyes. 

She let out a huff of a laugh at his query, her shoulders shrugging lightly. “It isn't though I'm expecting an answer. If you don't wish to tell me, then so be it,” she replied, spurred on more by curiosity than anything else. A dark eyebrow lifted on Hades' face, disappearing behind the helm he wore, and Kassandra inclined her head at the sign, taking it as a tacit indication she continue. 

“I spent days – weeks, even – in Elysium. It's beautiful, yes, but Persephone makes it every bit as miserable as you seem to make people here.” Hades' jaw set at that, though before he could intervene, Kassandra pressed onward, unabashed. “Hermes is obsessed with her, with keeping her safe or helping her succeed in ruling the dead there, and you must know as well as I that she treats him as little more than a pawn.” Hades' eyes rolled at the mention of the other god; his infatuation with the Queen of the Underworld was well-known, and what had once inspired jealous rage within him had cooled over the long centuries. 

“He would not listen to reason, even when I tried to point it out to him,” Kassandra sighed, shaking her head as one of her hands lifted to rake back through her hair. 

“No doubt such intense feelings blind him. It is not my concern,” Hades remarked dourly, his gaze flitting elsewhere. How long now had it been since he'd seen his wife? Had it been...a century already? Two? The Underworld was no great place to keep time, especially when it was so very meaningless...

“Isn't it?” Kassandra asked a little incredulously. “Another man – another _god_ – claims to love your wife and it isn't your business?” 

Hades' fingers flexed atop his forearms before he looked back at the brazen mortal, his arms falling back to his sides as he regarded her with narrowed eyes. “Take care in your step, Keeper. My patience is not inexhaustible,” he warned her, though she seemed little intimidated by his sharp tone or the piercing look he gave her.

After another moment of enduring, Kassandra's eyes rolled before she let out a long-suffering sigh. “Fine. It isn't my business,” she conceded, though just as Hades thought to turn and leave the particularly-vexing mortal, she began to speak again. “I just...don't understand.” The mortal seemed to speak more to herself than to Hades, though something not unlike curiosity kept him from leaving her just yet. She then looked up at him squarely in the face, her emotions playing readily in her eyes and the lines of her face – so easily it was almost alarming. 

“Hermes loves her, and I accepted that I'll never understand _why_ , but you? She thinks of you as little more than the warden keeping her imprisoned. She _actively_ hunts Adonis to share her bed and you sit down here and let her?” Kassandra knew she'd taken a step too far when a fire seemed to light in the crimson of Hades' eyes, his hand reaching for her wrist and grasping it tightly before tugging her close. 

“Choose your next words _exceptionally_ well, Keeper,” Hades murmured lowly, venomously, his face angled down so low as to nearly brush the tips of their noses together. 

“Why do you love her?” Kassandra finally managed to ask the question she'd held inside for a while now, though, admittedly, it had at first been for Hermes alone. 

She certainly didn't expect a real answer from him; in point of fact, she expected to be laughed at or thrown aside for her insolence, though she blinked when Hades released his hold on her, his expression noticeably contemplative before he turned away from her. 

“Love makes fools of mortals, Keeper, but we are not immune to its effects,” he spoke slowly, deliberately, his gaze far-away when Kassandra stepped closer and lingered as near to his side as she dared. “And she was...different then,” he offered with a self-effacing chuckle. “A paradigm of life and beauty, of growth and hope...,” his voice trailed off, and she could nearly hear the despair that seeped into his tone before he himself seemed to realize it. “She was everything I was not, everything I could never hope to have here in the Underworld.” His lips twisted into a rueful smile before he looked over his shoulder at Kassandra. 

“But like all it touches, the Underworld dimmed her. Despite her best efforts nothing could grow here. There is nothing but death and despair.” His tone grew harsher as he continued, eyebrows furrowing as bitterness seeped into it. “Nothing I could do would make her happy, and so I allowed her to go to Elysium where she might at least create a simulacrum of happiness for herself.” 

Once he finished Hades seemed disinclined to continue the conversation, though he did not move from his spot at Kassandra's side, the god no doubt lost deep in thought or memory. 

“You let her go for her own good,” Kassandra murmured quietly, the sound drawing Hades' attention. “She may be forever tied to the Underworld, but at least in Elysium she can try to be happy, or as close to it as she can.” 

“I do not require your understanding or compassion, Keeper,” Hades snorted at Kassandra's words, any softness or lingering emotion effectively gone. “It will change nothing.” She blinked at that, at the hopelessness buried in his words, though she had a feeling he would deny it were she to try and point it out to him. 

“True, it will not change the Underworld,” Kassandra agreed with a nod, though she took a step closer to the ledge of the bridge, leaning her weight forward and looking towards Hades until he had little choice but to meet her gaze. “But perhaps _you_ do not need to be so miserable. I admit, you hide it well, but-” 

“So presumptuous, aren't you?” Hades' smile was crooked as he interrupted her, taking great pleasure in watching the surprise lift her eyebrows and set her back a pace or two to balance herself. 

“Are you going to tell me you're so content with no one but the dead for company?” Kassandra then asked, trying and failing to hide her amusement. “Well, aside from Charon and Poseidon I suppose, but the former is always busy and the latter rarely comes down here.” 

“Is this your back-handed offer to keep me company, Keeper?” Hades fixed her with a pointed look, a dark eyebrow raised and a slightly-predatory smile poised at the corner of his mouth. “Because if so, do be careful. You may not like the consequences of spending your time so freely in the Underworld.” 

“I'm free to go so long as I don't eat any pomegranate seeds, am I not?” The sarcastic remark caught Hades by surprise, and he missed the brief smile that flashed across her face when he laughed. It was a difficult endeavor to keep from remembering that Persephone had never once gotten him to laugh as Kassandra had after only moments spent in his company, though instead of dwelling on such an unpleasant implication, Hades instead reminded her of her obligation to find the new guardians for his towers. 

“Fine, I'll find your guardians,” she eventually sighed exasperatedly. “But only if you help me with this.” His lips curled gently at the staff, a damned reminder of the god who dared to express such obvious affection for his wife, though in truth, Hades was more offended by Hermes than jealous of any supposed feelings the stupid god felt for his equally-cruel wife. 

“Ah yes. The stick,” Hades hummed condescendingly, his lips twisting into another half-smile. “Tell you what, Keeper. Go find Charon and help him, and I'll help you fulfill your destiny, hmm?” She blinked and recoiled mechanically when he reached a hand out to her head, her lips dipping into a childish pout that spurred another chuckle from his lips. 

She nodded before going on her way, and Hades watched her back until she was gone from view, any amusement from a moment earlier disappearing beneath a more calculating expression. He'd heard of the Eagle-Bearer, had heard of her strength from many of the dead now in his domain, but nothing of her as a person. Only belatedly did he realize his hand still hovered in the air, palm facing upwards as he considered the softness of her hair and the lingering warmth of her skin he'd felt from the brief contact. It was practically a Herculean feat for him to feel much of anything anymore, but this Keeper, this Eagle-Bearer...she had managed it. 

As Hades left the bridge and the portal to Elysium behind, he couldn't quite manage to stifle the pleasant feelings in his chest when he considered how next he might meet the Keeper Kassandra. Fortunately, no one was privy to the small smile he donned as he returned to his palace and awaited the Keeper's success.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'll probably write a few more, delving deeper into their relationship as it progresses and evolves. It won't be a fluid story as such, but since they'll be in a specific order, I'll post them as chapters to this fic.


	2. Why Did You Love Her?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades spends some time considering Persephone and Kassandra and the differences between them.
> 
> (Some hinted Brasidas/Kassandra if you squint!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback very much appreciated! I'm personally pretty happy with how this chapter turned out.

_“Why do you love her?”_

The question had been innocuous enough – genuine and curious in a way Hades had perhaps only attributed to children in the past – but even long after he and Kassandra had parted ways, it lingered in his thoughts. It had not taken him long to realize, however, that while he'd never directly answered her question, she was asking the wrong one. 

He had loved Persephone long ago, had been inevitably drawn to her even upon glimpsing her for the first time in that glen, but now? After so much time had passed? She was worlds away, contentedly pretending he did not exist or at the very least busying herself in Elysium so as not to have time enough to consider him. Such a realization might have hurt him before, and had on numerous occasions infuriated him enough to leave his seat in the Underworld to pay her a visit, but no more. He would not be the lecherous or raging god who chased someone even after being spurned time and time again. 

Perhaps it had been nothing but folly in the first place, attempting to find even the smallest kernel of happiness or normalcy when he was so tied to the Underworld, to _death_ itself. His lips twisted as he snuffed out a quiet chuckle in the back of his throat; _misery does enjoy company, does it not?_ Ironic, then, that the woman he'd sought for such company – comfort even, before he'd been so disillusioned – had fled from him the moment she'd had the opportunity. Part of him had foolishly hoped she'd remain, even if only out of guilt, though any sort of positive relationship they'd once had disintegrated long ago. 

The appearance of Elpenor in one of his private chambers prompted the barest amount of attention, and so Hades lifted his gaze slowly, his disinterest clear. The Keeper had kept the man from Tartaros despite all he'd done to her in life – the one wager he'd lost to Poseidon on her behalf – and while losing to his brother had certainly left a bitter taste in his mouth, the occurrence had also forced him to step back and reassess the Keeper. 

“What is it?” Hades finally asked, only just able to keep from rolling his eyes at the deferential incline of Elpenor's head at being addressed. 

“The Keeper has defeated two of the guardians, and they are patrolling their gates even now,” Elpenor informed him, the dead cultist needing no further gestures or words to show himself back out into Hades' keep. 

Hades settled back into his throne at the news, though he had been able to feel the shift in the air both times the Keeper had come out of her skirmishes victorious. Not that he'd had any doubt of her success, of course. She had already proven her hardiness when she defeated Cerberos, though however impressed he might have been by her was gravely tempered by the fact that she'd killed the best guardian of the realm he'd ever had. 

_“Your_ wife _threw me down here! I didn't exactly have a choice.”_ Even now the Keeper's voice echoed clearly in his ears, dark amusement tugging at the corner of his mouth. While he had not been privy to the exact goings-on in Elysium for some time now, he could only imagine the circumstances which had prompted Persephone to break her own rule and allow someone departure from her realm for his. 

Almost as if summoned by his thoughts alone Kassandra appeared, her face obscured by the helm of the Fallen for only a moment as she reached up and pulled it away from her head. “Is this a _game_ to you, Hades?” she spoke angrily, jaw tight and eyes flashing – a curious sight, especially so when directed at him. 

“I'm afraid you'll need to specify to what, exactly, you're referring, Keeper,” Hades answered too smoothly, a dark eyebrow sliding up as he watched her curiously. No doubt if he informed her that games were his only feeble attempt at maintaining a hold on his sanity, she would not be pleased; the thought nearly made him want to say so, if only to see the reaction it garnered. 

As expected, his answer merely served to darken her expression further; he could see how her fingers flexed at her side, no doubt itching to grab that broken spear of hers and demand her answers from him with it pointed at his throat. There was no hiding the amusement that flooded his face at the realization, and Kassandra stepped closer as though to appear intimidating. Such a tactic may even have worked on another, but not Hades. 

“ _Brasidas_! What is he doing _here_? Why is he not in Elysium?” she demanded, outrage and disbelief flitting through her eyes in equal amounts. 

For a moment Hades was content to hold her gaze, to hold on to the mocking smile he wore at her question, though he did eventually relent. “Ah yes. The _honorable_ Spartan general,” Hades murmured disinterestedly, though such disinterest quickly disappeared as Kassandra bared her teeth at the lord of the Underworld. 

“I have never known a better man, a more honorable one. He does not deserve the fate you have thrust upon him!” Kassandra insisted, her hands slamming down loudly on the table. 

His lips pursed at her violent outburst, his interest quickly bleeding into irritation. “Is it not _your_ prerogative to help such _lost souls_ , Keeper? If you are so assured of his honor and innocence, then by all means help him discover why he was brought to me instead of let loose in Elysium,” he spoke lowly, darkly even, though Kassandra's expression had hardened as she drew her hands back to her sides. 

“ _Fine_ ,” Kassandra snapped. “I _will_ , and once I have, you _will_ send him to Elysium.” She did not linger for whatever he might have said in response, the Keeper instead grabbing her helm by one of its horns and rounding on her heel towards the exit. As he watched her leave, Hades could little deny the ever-growing dark feeling in his chest as his eyes narrowed. Such impertinence – asserting that she would force _him_ of all people to bend to her will – would have led anyone else to an eternity in Tartaros, but it was not, he discovered, anger towards Kassandra that filled him. 

He was privy to many things, to the details of the lives of the dead, but not every secret, it would seem. Kassandra clearly cared for this cast-off Spartan general, a man who had been so drunk from his victory in battle he'd inadvertently slain an entire family with no repercussions, and his blood boiled at the thought. One of his hands clenched into a fist, and he did not even flinch when one of the glass windows shattered easily behind him, a rising gout of fire reaching high into the air before disappearing altogether.

No, it was _jealousy_ that filled him: dark and poisonous and wholly consuming; it eclipsed even the thought that Hermes wanted to bed his wife, or that his wife was seeking a mortal to warm her own, and his hands trembled gently with silent, scarcely-contained rage. She would see what this Brasidas had done with her own eyes, and then he would see if she would disappoint him or not; his wager with Poseidon was on the line, true, but it was not the foremost in his thoughts. 

Not even in the height of his obsession and affection for Persephone had he ever felt this way which only served to beg the question: why _had_ he loved her?


	3. Why Do You Love Him?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kassandra helps Brasidas decide where to remain in the Underworld, and Hades questions the bond between the pair of them.

Kassandra had mistakenly believed that helping Brasidas overcome what had 'defeated him in life' would be as simple as helping him fell his killer, Deimos. Yet, from the first moment the pair had returned to the makeshift battlefield, nothing had been as it seemed. 

It was not her brother's face who stared back at them in Deimos' armor, who accused Brasidas of losing his honor long before the battle of Amphipolis, but Brasidas' own: eyes darkened and voice gravelly. The uncomprehending look she quickly cast over her shoulder in Brasidas' direction went ignored, however, as he gripped his spear tighter and readied his fighting stance. Kassandra was grateful the dark phantasm wearing Brasidas' face had not donned the same armor as the man whose face he had stolen, and after a rather uneventful battle the pair lingered, wondering if the Lord of the Underworld would honor his word. 

Hades seemed all too pleased to inform them that something as trite as combat would not earn Brasidas a rightful place in Elysium, though Kassandra did little to keep her irritation from showing in the tensing of her jaw and the hard looks she directed at the towering Isu. 

“Come, Brasidas. The sooner we finish, the sooner you are free of this place,” Kassandra had remarked scathingly as she'd turned her back on Hades, Brasidas falling into step at her side as they headed for the Forest of Oizys. She had not seen Hades' reaction, though she had been able to feel his gaze on her back; it was not unlike a lingering, physical touch between her shoulder-blades, and she had to roll her shoulders to make the phantom feeling disappear. The 'gods' always enjoyed shrouding their words in innuendo and mystery, never being straightforward, either for their own amusement or supposed 'guiding hand' for their silly, little human wards, but this was somehow more than Hades being insufferably vague. 

He seemed almost to _enjoy_ her irritation, goading her into reacting as though she were his new favorite toy, and perhaps...that wasn't far off the mark. How often did the dead offer Hades any sort of interest or genuine interaction? She bristled at the realization that he was using her for his own amusement – had accused him of as much after she'd dealt with Elpenor – and while it wasn't a surprise, necessarily, it still made her angry, more so than she'd been while dealing with Hekate and Persephone's machinations in Elysium.

Hadn't she demonstrated her worth and strength? She'd weakened Persephone's power base in Elysium until the goddess had been forced to deal with her directly, and even then Persephone had needed the help of an artifact to drive Kassandra away. She'd defeated _Cerberos_ , Hades' watchdog for years beyond counting, and still she was treated as though she were a child: ignorant and undeserving of respect or consideration. 

She must have paused at some point, hands balled into fists at her sides, for she blinked when she heard her name, Brasidas' concerned expression swimming into view. “Kassandra?” he murmured her name again, a slight frown tugging at his lips. “Is something the matter?” 

“It's...nothing. I was just thinking,” Kassandra replied vaguely, though judging from the disbelief clouding Brasidas' eyes, he likely didn't believe her. “You've enough to worry about without my problems too, Brasidas,” Kassandra then added softly, reassuringly. Brasidas eventually nodded with a quiet sigh, though she could tell he was not pleased by her evasion.

The Forest of Oizys was as unwelcoming as Kassandra had first anticipated, though no more so than the Underworld itself; they followed only two hanging bodies before stumbling across the one they were seeking, and Kassandra could only roll her eyes when they were sent elsewhere yet again. Why were all such things a seemingly never-ending chain of places to go? 

Brasidas' insistence that he go onward alone was met with a skeptical look, though even as Kassandra crossed her arms over her chest, she fixed him with a firm look. “Go, then, but if you take too long, I'll be heading after you.” She hadn't intended it to sound like an ultimatum, but the slightest pang of guilt ached in her gut at the hopeless look he wore at her words. 

“I need to do this on my own, Kassandra,” he finally told her lowly, seriously, his eyes catching hers.

“It isn't a bad thing to ask for help, especially when you need it, Brasidas,” Kassandra countered softly, her words prompting him to glance away as if in shame. 

“Thank you,” he finally breathed a little easier, Brasidas attempting to smile before inclining his head and heading towards the cave Lilaira had pointed out earlier. 

It was difficult to say how long Kassandra waited for Brasidas – being left in a forest filled with corpses certainly did little to temper her patience – but after a while, she followed after him, keeping her eyes open for him along the ash-flecked path. Fortunately the cave was easy to spot, though after stepping inside and rounding a few corners, Kassandra was a little surprised to see Brasidas loitering at a closed doorway. 

She only just managed to keep from rolling her eyes at the knowledge that 'only the living may enter', and if ever she needed an obvious sign that this quest had been more for her benefit than Brasidas', this was it. 

_What game is Hades playing at? And for what purpose?_ Such questions and many others swirled dangerously in her mind as she climbed up several flights of stairs and climbed through open windows, though she paused when she heard a child's cry. Her lips parted uncomprehendingly, eyes furrowing as she finally continued forward. A child? Could that have been the woman's lost love? And if so, what did Brasidas have to do with it? There had been no recognition in his eyes when they'd spoken to Lilaira, and Kassandra's lips pursed as she continued, following the cries which seemed only to grow louder and more insistent the further into the cave she ventured. 

While it wasn't any great shock that Kassandra didn't find an actual babe as the source of the wailing, it _was_ unnerving that the cries emanated from an urn; fortunately, the crying stopped when she scooped it up and she was relieved it remained so as she made her way back to Brasidas. She paused mid-step when she saw something awaiting her that had notably not been on her path before, however. 

_You've_ got _to be kidding me_. 

Kassandra's eyes rolled at the orbs of light Hades had presumably left for her, if only to make her journey that much more difficult. Fortunately they were easy to snuff out, though by the time she reached Brasidas, she realized the orbs were not all the obstacles Hades had left for them. Fighting onwards to the exit was easier with Brasidas at her side, and she only breathed easier once they made it back to the surface. 

“What did you find?” Brasidas asked curiously, though he blinked in confusion when Kassandra revealed the urn she'd found in the main chamber. “I...don't understand,” Brasidas admitted helplessly, and not for the first time since meeting him in the Underworld did something twist unpleasantly in her chest. 

“Then let's get this back to Lilaira. Hopefully she can shed some light on the subject,” Kassandra suggested, though Brasidas' nod was noticeably hesitant. Still, he did not lag behind her as they made their way back to the forest. 

Lilaira's tale was...not what Kassandra was expecting. It was clearly true, however, if the way Brasidas fell to his knees was any indication. “Brasidas?” Kassandra murmured his name quietly, disbelievingly, one of her hands reaching towards his shoulder before faltering and dropping back to her side. 

“I...I thought he was an Athenian,” Brasidas spoke desperately, pleadingly, almost as though he were actively attempting to convince himself such was the truth. 

“He was protecting the village, our _family_ ,” Lilaira hissed, milky eyes narrowing down at Brasidas' kneeling form. 

“I didn't know,” Brasidas whispered hoarsely, his tone every bit as fragile as the urn seemingly taunting him below Lilaira's feet. 

“Does ignorance justify your actions?” 

Kassandra shouldn't have been surprised to see Hades leaning against a broken wall, arms crossed over his chest and his eyes firmly on Brasidas. 

“Well, Brasidas the Butcher–”

“ _Do not_ call him that,” Kassandra snarled at the god, Hades' gaze sweeping deliberately slowly towards her before he allowed his cruel smile to manifest. 

“Why not? That's what Lilaira's entire village calls him,” Hades offered by way of explanation, the god pushing himself upright before stepping closer to the former Spartan general. “Or what's _left_ of the village, anyway,” he added with a cruel chuckle. Whatever dark levity had Hades smiling swiftly left him, however, when he directed his attention back to Brasidas as the man pushed off his knees to stand. 

“So tell me, then. Do you believe you deserve to walk the fields of Elysium after all you've done?” Hades asked, looking down at Brasidas with an unflinching gaze. 

“I...don't know,” Brasidas finally admitted, turning to Kassandra with the last shred of hope he likely still possessed. “Please. Help me, Kassandra! I...I don't know what to do,” Brasidas repeated, shaking his head in a likely attempt to dislodge Lilaira's words from where they'd begun to fracture who Brasidas had believed himself to be and who he actually _was_. 

Something tugged deep in her chest at the lost, helpless look Brasidas gave her – so very different from the confident, strong man she'd known in life – and Kassandra swallowed even as she knew what she was to say. He was not the only one watching her intently, however; Hades watched her sharply, watched the struggle play through her eyes and wrinkle her brow before she finally seemed to reach a decision. 

“Brasidas,” she began slowly, warmly, her smile delicate and slightly tremulous at the corners. “You were a friend like no other,” she told him gently, swallowing away her nervousness and the slight pressure of tears she felt building at the corners of her eyes. “But if I had done what you did, I...could not simply walk away. I would stay and do my best to make things right.” She nodded once she finished speaking, her answer firm even as her heart seemed to crumple in her chest. Brasidas had been her most steadfast companion, honorable and kind, and he was denied Elysium because of a simple mistake, one that had been entirely an accident. It hurt to know, especially so after what she'd just said, though she almost smiled to see a curious light return to Brasidas' eyes at her answer. 

“No,” Brasidas finally answered, turning to address Hades directly. “I have broken my oath, sullied my honor, and I...do not deserve Elysium,” Brasidas glanced down as he spoke, though he did not flinch away from the Lord of the Underworld as he pressed on. “I will remain here.” 

It was difficult _not_ to notice the grin Hades wore at Brasidas' answer, though the god was _generous_ enough to clarify. “And this is your... _final_ answer?” Hades asked, nodding once as Brasidas offered another affirmative reply. Hades seemed to straighten himself when Brasidas agreed for a second time, standing taller before the sharpness in his gaze softened just a little. “Very well. You will spend the rest of eternity reuniting families torn apart by war. Do you accept this fate?” 

_As if he has any real choice_ , Kassandra wanted to snort, her eyes rolling even as Brasidas agreed and Hades gestured towards Kassandra. “Good. Now say goodbye.” The tone of Hades' voice was curious, the sound of it earning Kassandra's gaze before Brasidas took a step closer and offered her a resigned smile. 

“Thank you, my friend.” Already he sounded tired somehow, though Kassandra was pleased he did not sound so lost or despondent as when she'd first encountered him. She blinked when he reached a hand out to her, her lips dipping into a frown. After all they'd endured together, both in the Underworld and in the world of the living a handshake was too impersonal, and Kassandra's lips twitched into a smile as she closed the gap between them and pulled him into an embrace – one he clearly did not anticipate, given how he seemed to freeze in her grasp. 

“Goodbye, Brasidas,” Kassandra murmured, pleased to feel his arms gently wrapping around her torso before she took a step back. Her smile remained as she held his gaze for only a moment more, Brasidas dipping his head down in a final, tacit farewell before slipping past her. When she thought to turn her eyes back to Hades, however, the god seemed somehow sullen: a far cry from the self-satisfaction she'd seen on his face when Brasidas had decided to remain in the Underworld. 

“You knew he would stay all along, didn't you?” Kassandra turned to him with a sharp gaze, her tone accusatory. 

“I had a feeling,” Hades offered ambiguously, turning from her to instead look out over the forest. 

“Then that's really all humans are to you,” Kassandra continued, jaw tensing. “Pawns to move across your _petteia_ board or toys to play with.” 

“There is no worse fate than an eternity of _boredom_ , Keeper,” Hades told her, his amusement tempered by the furrowing of his eyes in her direction – as though he could not quite understand something and he might find his answer on her person. 

“You're toying with people's _lives_ –”

“Ah, did you forget where you are, Keeper?” Hades mused aloud, his smile dark even as it held back several chuckles that rumbled in the back of his throat. Before she could argue or protest further, however, he continued. “I alone know where the souls of the living are best suited, Keeper. Does it so offend you if I derive a small iota of amusement from performing my duties as Lord of this realm?” The tips of his fingers came together as he spoke, Kassandra glancing down and away as she let his words wash over her. 

Hades was certainly not a ruler like Persephone; he did not impose his will upon others, and instead played his little games to try and show his subjects where they best belonged – whether that meant releasing them to Elysium or damning them to the worst pits of Tartaros. Could she condemn him for trying to enjoy what would likely otherwise be a grim, unpleasant duty? 

“Nothing to say, Keeper?” Hades offered teasingly, a dark eyebrow lifting before his mirth seemed to disappear a second later. “Then, a question,” he pressed on, his words earning a curious look from the _misthios_. “You and the butcher?” The implication was clear, and Kassandra blinked at it before Hades added, “You once asked why I love my wife who spurned my affection and left me to remain in her gilded cage in Elysium. A woman who others yearn for and who yearns for others, in turn.” His tone seemed to darken with every word, and Kassandra could little contain the impulse to take a step back when he turned his attention back to her, the god closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye – she'd nearly forgotten his speed. 

“Now _I_ ask how you can love someone like _him_ : a murderer, a butcher who was so blinded by his own hubris and apparent devotion to a corrupt _polis_ that he slew innocents.” Hatred seemed to burn in his eyes as he spoke, though Kassandra was still reeling from his declaration that she loved Brasidas; the statement had winded her as readily as a sucker-punch to the gut might have, though perhaps...perhaps Hades was not incorrect. There had never been anything but platonic friendship between her and Brasidas, though she'd have been lying if she claimed she hadn't even considered the possibility for more. There just hadn't been time or opportunity, and now there never would be.

“We do not choose whom we love,” Kassandra eventually offered as an answer, looking unabashedly up into Hades' face. “I'll make no excuses for what Brasidas has done, but the man I knew was good and kind and honorable, and there have not been many of those on my journey.” Her answer seemed to drain the vitriol from him, and for a time he was content to observe her, as though she were a puzzle he had yet to solve. 

“You are too forgiving, Keeper,” Hades eventually admonished her, his head shaking slowly.

“No one is perfect, Hades,” Kassandra rebutted, her jaw firm and her eyes bright. “If I did not forgive, I would be entirely alone. I would have no family, no friends, and this journey is solitary enough as is without my making it worse.” 

“You would prefer betrayal to solitude?” Hades asked curiously, head tilting to one side as Kassandra let out a long-suffering sigh. 

“Look around you, Hades. How much do _you_ enjoy solitude?” The question seemed a startling one for the god, and Kassandra had to hide her smile and her laughter as she turned to leave, Hades' gaze following after her as it was wont to do as of late. 

“You're late,” Hades stated flatly, gaze still trailing after the Keeper as Poseidon seemed to materialize from the air; he chuckled quietly before grabbing a coin from his belt and flicking it in his brother's direction. 

“Your conversation with the Keeper was more amusing than I anticipated,” Poseidon replied, Hades catching the coin before turning back to his brother. 

“Every time I imagine I've discovered all facets of this Keeper, she surprises me,” Hades shook his head in irritation, though Poseidon rolled his eyes. 

“Grouse all you like, Brother, but she intrigues you. If she did not, you would have tired of her long ago.” Hades' sour expression at Poseidon's remark made the latter chuckle yet again. “Your anger at her affection for the human is also rather telling.” Poseidon should have expected Hades to disappear at that, though the king of the sea could only laugh at his brother's reaction. No one – human or god or otherwise – had ever inspired such reactions from the lord of the dead. 

He would need to keep an eye on their burgeoning relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! This chapter ended up longer than the first two combined so it took a little bit x: Anyway! Feedback is, as always, encouraged and appreciated!


	4. Why Don't You Love Her?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades resolves to make things right with Persephone, but Kassandra derails his plans -- as she is wont to do.

Hades could not say what had compelled him to go to the Elysian Breach, whether it was sheer curiosity or disbelief or some misplaced desire to remember a wife he had not seen in ages. The glen reeked of Persephone, grass and flowers and even a small spring seemingly erupting from an otherwise-desolate surface. 

_Despite her best efforts, nothing could grow here._

The words had come from his own mouth, and yet...he'd been proven wrong. Still, he could vividly recall Persephone's efforts after they'd first been married, could recall her despair and listlessness as she tried and failed dozens of times to use her magic in the realm she was loathe to call her home. How was this possible _now_ of all times? His lips pursed as he considered, though he ruled out the obvious immediately: it was clearly no effort on Persephone's part, no matter how he might have wished it to be so. The only telling change had been the appearance of the Keeper, both in Elysium and his own realm, and not for the first time Hades was struck by the sheer power and influence the Keeper wielded, even without using the powerful artifact Hermes had crafted and which now was in her possession. 

How was it that a mere mortal, however strong and possessing of at least a little Isu blood, could perform such feats where even Persephone could not? 

His eyebrows furrowed as a deep frown pulled at his mouth; toying with the Keeper after she'd first arrived had been one thing, a singular occurrence to gauge the measure of her. All the instances that followed supplemented his view of her, helped him to better grasp at her seemingly-endless facets of character as she continued to run herself ragged across his realm. Not for the first time he wondered if she might have agreed to help clean up the mess she'd made even without his demand, and while there was no denying that she was very much a _misthios_ who did not perform her job without incentive, she had already shown him a great deal of her compassion and responsibility. 

Perhaps his interest in her was inevitable; after all, not many mortals would have done what he'd asked of them, even if the blame had been squarely placed on their shoulders. He paused as that realization set in, a flare of frustration tightening his jaw. Poseidon's words from earlier would not leave him no matter how he attempted to distract himself. He would concede that this mortal was something special, that her very presence seemed to alter that which had been presumably immutable for years beyond counting, and he blinked in shock when that thought seemed to occur to him at long last. If she could change so very much, who was to say she had not changed _him_? 

His brother had already claimed to see such a change in him, though Hades would never doubt Poseidon's propensity for saying anything to knock him off-balance even the slightest bit. Was it some subtle way at getting back at him for losing their wagers, making ludicrous statements and assertions? 

Still, Hades could little deny that Poseidon had been right on one account at the very least – the lord of the Underworld had _not_ been pleased to watch Kassandra's interactions with the dead Spartan general. In addition to the irritation, however, was the discomfort in knowing it mattered to him either way. However little love Persephone felt for him, Hades had always held on to his pride that his gaze never wandered as it did _multiple_ times for both of his brothers. Learning that Persephone was actively attempting to coax Adonis into her bed made such a sentiment sting, of course, but from how the Keeper had spoken of Persephone's chase, it sounded as though the human weren't receptive to her. It was both relief and outrage.

 _We do not choose whom we love_ , the Keeper had told him seriously, and for once, Hades would agree with that sentiment. How better to crush such ridiculous feelings than to use the source of them as a way to smooth his path back to Persephone? Some might have accused him of being cruel, though it undoubtedly seemed a foregone conclusion for most who described the lord of the Underworld. 

He needed only to focus a little of his energies to find the sole mortal in his realm, and with a subtle, practiced flare, he disappeared from the Elysian Breach and instead reappeared nearer his palace where the Keeper currently lingered. “Just the mortal I was looking for,” Hades spoke to her, the Keeper turning to him with a raised eyebrow and a subdued sigh. 

“Hades.” Her greeting was simple, and despite himself he could see the weariness in her gaze; how long had it been since she'd ventured back to her own realm? Or rested? His eyebrows furrowed as he inwardly scolded himself, though the expression disappeared long before she would have seen it. “What do you want?” 

“You have just plucked the last flower in this entire realm, Keeper, and you wonder what it is I want?” Hades inquired, his head tilting to one side curiously as Kassandra's eyes rolled. “It is a wonder, how something so small and insignificant can mean the world to someone...,” he allowed his voice to trail off, though it seemed Kassandra was in no mood to return his quips. A shame, truly.

“No riddles today, Hades,” Kassandra sighed, her free hand rubbing at her forehead. “You want the flower, I understand, but Charon wanted me to retrieve it and give it to a plague victim. Last I remember, you wanted me to help Charon.” Her question was implied, and Hades caught her expression with a slightly crestfallen one, his arms dropping to his sides as he stepped closer. 

“My darling wife, Persephone, has not been the same since Cerberos' untimely demise,” Hades explained, noting how the Keeper seemed to tense at the mention of his wife's name. Her lack of guilt at the mention of Cerberos' death was also a curiosity, though Hades continued before he let himself wonder too much about the Keeper's feelings. “I would see her smile again,” he murmured, tone soft with affection. “That flower you picked happens to be her favorite.” 

Of all the reactions Hades might have anticipated from the Keeper, the tensing of her jaw and an icy look were not even among the list of expectations. “Your _darling_ wife has access to all the flowers she could ever possibly want or need,” Kassandra began slowly, seemingly building up momentum as she consciously loosened her grip on the stem of the flower: no doubt concerned she might crush it in her grip otherwise. “More than that, do you _really_ think giving her a flower is going to make her smile? Make her forgive you? Make her _love_ you again?” She paused then, letting her sharp, jagged words sink into him further, and though anger boiled just below his skin and his scarlet eyes flashed dangerously, she pressed on before he could react. 

“This flower is the only hope for this woman to rest for the whole of _eternity_ , Hades. I thought your job was to help guide these souls, not forsake them for a marriage that hasn't worked in centuries. More than that, Persephone brought it all on herself. If she had let me pass through Elysium as I'd _asked_ her to, I wouldn't have had to touch Cerberos. In fact, he would still be alive to guard your gates, so watch where you're pointing your fingers and dropping your blame. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a woman to save. A woman, I should note, under _your_ supposed guidance.” 

Words were never usually far from his tongue: clever quips or barked orders or dark promises, but as Kassandra returned to the woman and her features softened impossibly as the victim's lit up, Hades found his words dying on his tongue, his fury stifled rather effectively by something else. He could do little but watch as Kassandra led the woman to the exit, no doubt escorting her to Thanatos' pyre to cleanse her of the plague. His traitorous thoughts, jumbled as they were by Kassandra's anger, could point in only one direction: she was doing more for the dead than their supposed queen. Compassion tempered by strength, fury tempered by reason, mortality tempered by the reality of death... 

Whatever he had been seeking in giving the flower to Persephone was now forgotten, and for the first time since he set eyes on his wife, he truly began to believe that perhaps it was best to release her altogether. She did not love him, and, he was learning, he did not love her – not the woman she was now. It was almost a relief to come to such an understanding, though he glowered to think of Poseidon's knowing tone when next his brother decided to show his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you guys who have been leaving me comments ;v; I'm blown away by your support and kind words and I hope this fic is living up to expectation! Please feel free to leave more comments if you're so inclined! 
> 
> I also wanted to apologize for not getting this chapter out sooner; Hades was giving me issues :c


	5. Kassandra Interlude 4.5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kassandra considers Hades regarding the Asphodel Flower and bumps into someone unexpected.

Kassandra would not have claimed to doubt Charon or his directions, but watching from the edge of Thanatos' Pyre as the plagued woman stepped down into it set her on edge. The first distressed cry from the woman had Kassandra turning away, a hand lifting to cover her eyes. Had Charon been wrong? Was this some bizarre test of Hades' to make her realize the futility of helping the dead? Her anger with him from earlier, while set to the side as she escorted the woman to the Pyre, began to return with a vengeance, yet just as she dropped her hand to reach for her broken spear, the woman collapsed in a heap at her feet. 

The look they shared was one of relief, and Kassandra knelt down at the woman's side, words stilling on her tongue. Instead, she reached out a hand to the woman's shoulder and squeezed reassuringly, and once the moment had passed, pressed back on her heels to stand. The woman's expression said it all as she gazed down at her bare arms, no longer covered in blotches or welts from disease; her thanks was unnecessary, and Kassandra did not linger further. 

And to think, Hades would have traded _that_ for some ridiculous smile Persephone may or may not have given him in return. _I suppose love really does make fools of us all_ , Kassandra sighed internally, shaking her head with pursed lips. She could little deny the... _vehemence_ she had felt when he'd first asked her to hand over the flower; no matter how she may have tried to tell herself otherwise, it had not been solely righteous fury on the plagued woman's behalf. Rather, it had come from a dark place deep in her chest, a place that condemned Persephone for her arrogance and her selfishness when all the souls around her – the souls whose well-being she was _charged_ with ensuring – were suffering and oppressed for her willing blindness. 

How could anyone, let alone _two gods_ , love such a person? Maybe Persephone hadn't been such in the past as Hades had asserted, but there was little denying the lack of her virtues now. Hermes had tried to argue on her behalf, had claimed that no one believed in her and tried to help her, but even if that were so...it was only through Persephone's own faults. She had pushed her husband away, had driven away her only friend, and had literally tossed Hermes from her high palace as readily as she'd tossed Ros down into the gate to the Underworld. It made her roll her eyes to think that, even now, Hermes likely awaited some scrap of Persephone's affection or praise like the dog the Queen of the Underworld undoubtedly believed the Messenger to be. Kassandra had learned the hard way there was no reasoning with Hermes, though. 

Hades, however...she was less certain about.

He had been the one to inform her that Persephone was not the woman she once had been, after all, yet even after admitting such, he wanted to make such amends? In truth, Kassandra wasn't certain which was worse – that Hades still yearned to make the attempt even after knowing what Persephone had turned into, or that she'd been so affected by it. Even now the thought of giving him the flower for Persephone made something burn unpleasantly in her chest, and Kassandra paused on the trodden path, forcing herself to take a deep breath before continuing onward. There were still lost souls to guide for Charon, after all, and the sooner she was finished, the sooner she could be rid of the Underworld altogether – and Hades. 

The very last person she expected to see as she steeled her resolve was Phoibe, lingering among some broken doorways with glossy eyes. 

“It can't be...,” Kassandra's voice trailed off, eyes widening as her steps led her unconsciously closer. “Phoibe?” It took several moments for the girl to respond, though when she did, there was no recognition in her face. 

“Are you a goddess? Is that... _my_ name?” Both questions made Kassandra want to weep, though for entirely different reasons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies again for a late chapter! There will another update right after this one, Hades to mirror Kassandra, so keep an eye out!
> 
> Also, thanks again to everyone who's commented or left kudos on this fic! I appreciate each and every one ;v;


	6. Hades Interlude 4.5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades visits Persephone and releases her from her ties to the Underworld -- and himself.

Hades remembered quite vividly why he avoided Elysium the moment he crossed the boundary between it and his own realm. His eyes squinted against the sunlight, and he frowned to see Kassandra was right: there were flowers in limitless abundance for Persephone's pleasure surrounding him on all sides the moment he stepped out into the field beyond the breach. No doubt it would have been quicker to appear in Persephone's palace, but doing so seemed rude somehow, and beyond that, Hades would admit to at least a little curiosity as to how this part of his realm fared under Persephone's rule. He tried to hide a smile as he considered how Kassandra's appearance had altered it. 

His presence, however, did not go unnoticed. 

Isu-possessed guardians seemed to appear out of nowhere, spears in-hand, and Hades had to stifle a sarcastic chuckle; these automatons could not even stop a mortal, and yet Persephone thought they could stop _him_? 

“Hades. I should have guessed it was you.” It was Persephone who spoke to him, his wife strolling between the perfect lines of her protectors until she was clearly visible. Seeing her brought back a sudden onslaught of memories: of her in the fields back in the mortal plane, of her quiet laughter and soft gaze...and yet, this was clearly not the same woman he'd known all those years ago. The lines of her face were hard now, her eyes as cold as amethysts, and yet Hades felt his lips tug into a mocking smile at her greeting. 

“When I felt the Breach open, I assumed it was one of your Tartaros monsters escaping into my lands,” she continued to explain, dismissing her guards with a lazy flick of her wrist. “This new _Keeper_ has brought nothing but chaos to these lands. I still can't believe she defeated Cerberos.” 

“A loss for us both, I assure you,” Hades finally found his voice, Persephone's eyes narrowing in his direction. “The Keeper tells me she asked to be let through Elysium, but you refused,”Hades then began, Persephone's face distorting in anger. “There was no need to sic Ros on her, and now, because of you, he is dead.” 

“ _I_ did not strike him down,” Persephone argued, arms crossing over her chest. 

“No,” Hades agreed, though there was a certain, curious sharpness to his tone that made Persephone blink and take a step back. “You could not defeat the Keeper, so Cerberos was your last resort.” 

“Are you _defending_ the mortal?” Persephone shot back, her accusation drawing laughter from him – dark laughter that seemed to shake the anger from the goddess' face. 

“The mortal will be dealt with. _You_ , however, are another matter.” She seemed to freeze under the harsh scrutiny of his vermilion gaze, her lips pursing before her shoulders relaxed and she rolled her eyes. 

“I am already shackled to this gods-forsaken place, _husband_ ,” she spat venomously, eyes flashing. “What more could you possibly do to me?” 

Her answer, while undoubtedly intended to rile him further, made him frown deeply. She'd tossed the word 'husband' around as though it were a javelin aimed at his chest, and if ever he needed reminding that this woman was no longer the one he'd married – he'd actually _loved_ – seeing her so angry and hurt and raw was it. There was no softness to her anymore, and Hades realized with a pang that such was _his_ doing. 

“Then go,” Hades finally answered, catching her gaze with a long, serious look. “Leave Elysium. I will ensure you are bound to this place no longer, but do make sure to take your witch and your pet with you.” 

Her eyes widened in shock, though he almost laughed to see suspicion fill them a moment later. “Have I ever lied to you, Persephone?” Her name was spoken softly, affectionately despite himself; she had been his wife for aeons, and allowing her to leave was proving more difficult than he anticipated. Still, he was no Athena, spinning his truths into a web of deceit and trickery, and Persephone seemed to understand that after another moment's consideration. 

“You would let me leave?” Persephone asked uncertainly, uncomprehendingly, a familiar softness returning to her features that tugged at the traitorous strings of his heart. 

“Are you telling me you wish to stay?” Hades inquired slyly, humor tingeing his tone as Persephone's eyes rolled familiarly. 

“You will be all alone,” she pointed out, no doubt feeling some small amount of guilt on his behalf. He was almost flattered. 

“I am always alone,” he told her seriously, her pursed lips spilling into a frown. “Now go. Before I change my mind.” He waved her off impatiently, though Persephone made no move to leave – in fact, she stepped closer, her pale fingertips brushing against his cheek. It was...too soft, Hades discovered, though he blinked when she pressed a swift kiss to it before rounding on her heel without so much as another word. 

Still, as Hades returned to his own realm, he felt more assured he had chosen correctly. There was still a Keeper down in his realm after all, which meant he wasn't _entirely_ alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will see Hades and Kassandra interactions again, but I wanted to get these interludes out of the way first -- I hope you enjoyed them!


	7. How Can He Not Love Her?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kassandra sends Phoibe off to Elysium, and Hades and Poseidon have an argument about the Keeper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all the kudos, comments, subscriptions, and bookmarks c: I'm so glad you're all enjoying the fic as much as I am! Feedback, as always, is super welcome and appreciated <333
> 
> That said, I don't think this fic will be too much longer? Maybe another 2-3 chapters? I'm not entirely sure yet, though I do have other one-shot ideas in mind so keep an eye out for those~

By the time Kassandra finally faced the Cyclops at the little mimicry of her house on Kephallonia, she was running on nothing but adrenaline and rage. Killing the ugly bastard once had been bad enough, but to find him in the Underworld targeting Phoibe? Because of _her_? Kassandra wasn't entirely sure what killing the man's shade in the Underworld would do to him, if his soul was destroyed or sent to Tartaros or something worse, but as she sunk her blade into the man's back for the last time and he fell to the ground with a muffled gurgle, she'd never been so assured someone had deserved their fate. 

Her breath came in quick, short pants as she sheathed her sword, her eyes scanning the area before finding Phoibe's prone form in a scarily-similar pose as when Kassandra first found her in Athens. “No. No no no no no,” Kassandra whispered furiously, ignoring the tears obscuring her vision as she swiftly closed the distance between them. “Phoibe?” The ground was unforgiving against her knees as Kassandra dropped, disbelieving and suddenly nauseated. 

“Γαία, μήτηρ πάντων, χαίρε.”

Her hands trembled as she lifted Phoibe's hands delicately, cheeks damp with tears as she set her jaw in determination; Kassandra tried pointedly not to dwell on the fact that she'd been too late _twice_. 

_Oh, Phoibe, I'm so sorry._ Her eyes slipped shut as she bent forward and pressed a kiss to the top of Phoibe's head, Kassandra refusing to listen to the accusatory voice she could hear just beginning to berate her for never being _enough_. 

A quiet groan drew her attention, however, and Kassandra's eyes widened with a gasp as Phoibe's eyes blinked open slowly. “You're okay!” Kassandra breathed, her laughter ragged and relieved as she wiped the wetness from the corners of her eyes. 

“And...you're here,” Phoibe breathed, her lips pulling into a small albeit recognizable smile. 

“Of course I am,” Kassandra replied with a nod. “I always have been, even in Athens,” Kassandra then added with a slight frown, her gaze falling before she shook her head free of the thought. Her limbs felt almost jellied as she stood, though she extended a hand to Phoibe who took it gently. 

“Where are we?” Phoibe eventually asked, stepping past Kassandra and into the field of flowers. “And the Cyclops...,” her voice trailed off as she undoubtedly spotted the corpse Kassandra had left in her wake, though she seemed to breathe a little easier to know she wasn't in danger any longer. 

“This is a doorway back to Elysium, Phoibe,” Kassandra explained, trailing after the girl as they approached the illusory home from Kephallonia. 

“You mean...back to my parents?” Phoibe asked quietly, the uncertainty in her voice making Kassandra frown. 

“You can do this, Phoibe. I know you can.” Her smile, while brittle at the corners, was bright when Phoibe turned back to look at her for reassurance. “It's time to go.” 

“Seeing this place...,” Phoibe began, her steps slowing until she paused just in front of Kassandra's old home. “Makes me miss Kephallonia.” 

“We had some good times,” Kassandra agreed with a quiet chuckle, stepping forward until she was at Phoibe's side. “But it's time for you to go back to Elysium now,” Kassandra then told her a little firmly, turning to face her. 

“I don't want to go,” Phoibe stated flatly, Kassandra only just managing to withhold a sigh. 

“We don't always get to do what we want, Phoibe,” Kassandra explained patiently, softly, her tone warm and reassuring. 

“But...what if my parents don't like me?” Phoibe's frown was deep, and Kassandra reached a hand to card gently through the girl's hair. 

“You left Elysium and came down into the Underworld to find them, Phoibe. They won't like you. They'll love you,” Kassandra murmured, her hand pulling away and returning to her side as Phoibe looked up for more reassurance. 

“But you're my family too! I can't just forget you, Kassandra. Can I at least come back and visit?” 

Hearing the desperation in Phoibe's tone made Kassandra's heart ache, though the mercenary shook her head slowly as she bent to one knee to be of a height with Phoibe. “No, Phoibe. You can't come back here once you leave, and...I'm leaving too, once I've finished what I started.” There was considerably less cheer in that statement than Kassandra might have intended, though she pressed onward before Phoibe could interrupt. 

“You're so strong, Phoibe. Remember that,” Kassandra chuckled, lightly tapping her shoulder with a loose fist. “If you ever feel lonely, find that strength and you'll be able to push through anything.” She blinked when Phoibe all but launched herself at Kassandra's torso, her expression falling as she swallowed back a sudden rush of feelings and instead returned the hug as best she could. “You have made me so proud, Phoibe,” Kassandra whispered, a hand rubbing across Phoibe's back. As Phoibe finally pulled away, Kassandra cleared her throat. 

“I, ah, found this,” Kassandra explained, pulling the carved eagle from her pack before setting it into Phoibe's waiting palms. “Take it, to keep me close.” 

Phoibe nodded as she glanced down at it, though she searched for Kassandra's gaze as she looked back up. “You'll always be my family, but...I think I'm ready now.” She breathed out then, no doubt steeling herself for what would hopefully be her greatest adventure yet, and Kassandra had to fight to keep her tears at bay. 

“Walk tall, Phoibe, the Eagle-Bearer.” With one last look and a final smile, Phoibe stepped through the bright light, and Kassandra lifted a hand to cover her face as tears began to fall seemingly without end. No doubt Charon had seen his fair share of crying mortals in his time as the ferryman, though Kassandra had no desire to add to it, and instead remained in place until the tears subsided. If the ferryman noticed anything amiss, he kept such observations to himself as he rowed her back to the Underworld proper. 

It shouldn't have come as any surprise that both Hades and Poseidon were awaiting her appearance at Charon's dock, however. 

\-- 

“What have you done?” 

Poseidon, ever the meddling brother, was awaiting Hades' arrival, and the lord of the Underworld gave him a lazy shrug. “I gave Persephone what she desired,” Hades answered vaguely, though intentionally so. Poseidon's brows furrowed at the declaration, though Hades held up a gloved hand before his brother could speak further. “I know you do so enjoy dispensing advice in Atlantis, Brother, but I am not one of your subjects, and do not require your permission or approval in my choices,” Hades reminded him a little lowly, Poseidon's jaw tensing. 

“Perhaps not, Hades, but you know you cannot simply dissolve your marriage without consequence,” Poseidon continued seriously, though Hades' eyes rolled in clear disinterest. 

“Like our brother has bedded every mortal he ever scarcely looked upon without consequence?” Hades returned sharply, his lips quickly down-turned into a frown. Poseidon's eyes rolled at the reminder. 

“Just because _we_ are not permitted to discipline him does not mean he has walked away unscathed time and again,” Poseidon remarked tentatively, though his words did little to mollify Hades' irritation. 

“Demeter will be pleased, will she not? Her daughter will return to the mortal realm or wherever she desires,” Hades eventually sighed, unwilling to continue their discussion that could have easily devolved into an argument or quarrel. 

“Even with Persephone gone, you cannot believe the Keeper will take her place,” Poseidon pointed out, though Hades' eyes flared angrily at the implication and bald-faced words both. 

“The Keeper is not Persephone,” Hades eventually settled on an answer, though Poseidon could see figurative dark clouds hanging above his brother's head. 

“She is _needed_ in Atlantis, Hades. You know this,” Poseidon reminded him a little tersely, though Hades refused to meet his gaze, his eyes instead on the lazy Styx as he awaited Charon and Kassandra's return. 

“You mean you wish her to make the decision you yourself are unwilling to make?” Hades spoke pointedly, the lord of the Underworld only just able to keep from smiling in triumph at the sudden stiffness to his brother's stance. “Atlantis is rotten to the core, Poseidon. Your children are just as corrupt as the other Isu. Even Atlas is not up to the task of his father, and so you wait for another to relieve you of your burden, of your desire to bring it all _down_.” Looking down the end of his nose, Hades could little contain himself as he pressed forward – and into noticeably more dangerous territory if the way Poseidon's eyes seemed to glow was any indication. 

“I wonder...is it weakness? Or do you simply not wish to carry the burden of guilt destroying Atlantis brings with it? All the deaths of our people and your precious mortal pets?” His tone was scathing, and he could readily feel the disturbance in the air as Poseidon reached out with wrinkled fingertips for his trident which scarcely brushed his skin before he thought better of his course of action and allowed it to disappear from whence it came.

“I will not be toyed with, Hades,” Poseidon replied tersely, Hades' dark chuckles following the statement as if a wordless accusation of his attempted deception. 

“Yet you will toy with the Keeper. You will force her to make a decision when she scarcely knows anything about Atlantis.” Poseidon was not cruel, but Hades saw through his guile easily after so many years; the Keeper would feel compelled to help those in Atlantis, and once she saw the extent of its corruption, he would place its fate in her hands. The knowledge _burned_ him, made him clench a fist as his nostrils flared angrily. 

He played his games to help lost souls reach their true end in his realm. Poseidon played similar games to dance away from his responsibilities, all under the guise of wise mentor or needy ruler. Yet people thought _him_ the villain? 

The pair of Isu stilled visibly when Kassandra made it to the breach, her anger and profanity making Hades chuckle approvingly while Poseidon's lips thinned. Kassandra unsurprisingly defeated the Cyclops with little difficulty, though the amusement drained from him when she turned towards the child she'd known in life. The Eagle Bearer, defeater of Cerberos and strong enough to gain even _their_ attention, was crying at this child's body. It felt quite suddenly as though he and Poseidon were bearing witness to something impossibly private, and something twisted gently in the cold hollow of his chest to hear the brokenness of her voice, the grief, the raw, genuine emotion. 

“Brother, perhaps we–”

The quiet, gentle sound of her voice swept away Poseidon's voice, however, and Hades was suddenly relieved that this Phoibe was not dead – and even if she were, Kassandra's grief alone would have been enough to grant her another life. It was a startling realization, that this Keeper had affected him so deeply. 

The twisting feeling from before dissolved instantly when Kassandra breathed out in relief, her joy filling him with a curious warmth. It was all too easy to forget the effortless emotions humans seemed to access better than the Isu, and while many of his kind believed it a weakness or defect, perhaps there was more to it. The pair spoke for a time, reminiscing, though when the child asked to return, both he and Poseidon paid more attention – their wager was still on the line, after all. 

Something drained from him as Kassandra spoke to Phoibe. 

_“I'm leaving too, once I finish what I've started.”_

Had he been deluding himself this entire time? The thought made something within him ache, made him almost want to resign himself to his inevitable solitude, and if Poseidon glanced in his direction, he missed it entirely. Once Phoibe had returned to Elysium, however, Hades looked over at his brother, a hint of a smug smile tugging at his lips. 

“I told you she wouldn't let the child lose her memories,” Hades told him with a lazy, lopsided smile, though Poseidon seemed more interested in analyzing Kassandra's motives and actions than being angry or irritated he'd just lost another of their wagers. He did not press further, or even hear what Poseidon had to say afterward, however; Kassandra had yet to leave that place, and perhaps his curiosity got the better of him, but he certainly didn't expect to see her weeping. This time, however, he did afford her more privacy, and contented himself to wait at Charon's dock, the line of souls waiting mumbling indistinctly in the background. 

She appeared none the worse for wear when she finally disembarked from Charon's boat, though she strolled past the Isu as though they weren't even there, and for once Hades would not begrudge her. There was time yet to interact with her, though he attempted not to focus on the very real truth that she would be leaving his realm sooner rather than later. 

It pained him, but then, most everything in his life had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! So, technically, no Hades + Kassandra interaction, but I personally enjoyed writing Hades (+ Poseidon) creeping on Kassandra interacting with Phoibe. I think it gives him a better idea of Kassandra as a person rather than the Keeper or mercenary or all the other titles she's got :c
> 
> I added in the Greek myself (yes, I've studied ancient Greek :o); transliterated: "Gaia, mater panton, chaire." Translated: "Gaia, Mother of All, I greet you". 
> 
> Also! Since Hades and Poseidon weren't technically with Kassandra and Phoibe during that quest, I just kind of made it so Hades can 'sense' her (since she isn't dead I imagine she's pretty easy to find) and he and Poseidon eavesdrop? Isu magic! 
> 
> I've also finished up the last episode of the dlc (so if you haven't please skip ahead to avoid spoilers!). Honestly, I was underwhelmed. I don't feel like we get a very good glimpse of Atlantis before being forced to 'judge' it -- judge in quotation marks because there's no choice. Atlas' storyline (and his three brothers we have quests with earlier in the dlc) are just kind of...dropped? Whether they live or die is meaningless to the story. The only humans we meet are Atlas' lover and the werewolf-woman and the little boy??? I thought there'd be more quests fleshing out Atlantis as a whole instead of 'it's all bad/human experimentation'. 
> 
> I also don't like that we can't speak to Poseidon? As Dikastes you'd think Kassandra would be able to bring up her concerns with him as the dlc progresses, but beyond the opening scenes and the end, we get zero interaction. 
> 
> All in all, I think they could have fleshed it out a lot better? I still enjoyed it (plus Atlantis is gorgeous). THOUGH. Leaving the Underworld really confused me? WTF happened to Hades? He stepped into one of those Tartaros portals and...what? Why did it hurt him at all? _Did_ it hurt him, because it sure af sounded like it did?


End file.
